Magnetic and manually operated electric switch



April 1, 1952 L. J. BoRDELoN 2,591,336

MAGNETIC AND MANUALLY OPERATED ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed March 5, 1948infamy-frm,

:inventor aw/epee J. orde/w? Patented Apr. 1, 1952 MAGNETIC AND MANUALLYOPERATED ELECTRIC SWITCH Lawrence J. Bordelon, San Diego, Calif.,assignor to Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation, San Diego, Calif.,a corporation of Delaware Application March 5, 1948, Serial No. 13,271

Claims. 1

This invention relates to electric switches and more particularly toelectric switches of the electromagnetically operated type.

An object of the present invention resides in providing an improved formof electromagnetically operated electric switch having associatedtherewith an indicating device which warns that the switch is inoperative position.

Another object of this invention lies in the provision of an improvedform of electric switch adapted to be manually and automaticallyoperated.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved form ofelectromagnetically operated electric switch embodying manually operablemeans for effecting manual control of the switch and with a warninglight incorporated in the manually operable means which serves toindicate when the switch has been operated.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an electricswitch having sturdy and economical construction and with improved andreliable operating characteristics.

Other objects and features of the present invention will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the art from the following specicaticn andappended drawings wherein is illustrated a preferred form of theinvention, and in which:

YFigure 1 is a view of the switchaccording to the present invention,with the greater portion thereof shown in vertical section;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the movable contactswhen they have been electromagnetically moved to contacts engagedposition;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but with the movable contactsshown in contacts engaged position effected by manual movement thereof;and

Figure 4 is an end view of the switch.

Having further reference to the drawings the electric switch A of thepresent invention comprises a housing IIl which in the preferredembodiment is comprised of three parts; a metallic cylindrical casing II, a first generally cup-shaped member I2 formed of molded insulatingmaterial secured to one end of casing I I, and a second generallycup-shaped member I3, also formed of molded insulation material, whichis connected to member I2 at one end thereof, the two insulating membersI2 and I3 serving further as contact blocks, as will be hereinafter morefully described.

The metallic casing II is provided with an inturned annular mountingflange I4 at one end (Cl. 20G-111) thereof. Through an annular openingdened by the ange I4 there extends the threaded shank portion I5 of acylindrical, hollow mounting boss I6, the head I1 of which boss isadapted to bear against ange I4. A nut I8 is provided for cooperationwith the threaded shank portion I5 to effect the mounting of theelectric switch A in any desired location. In mounting the electricswitch A, as to a panel 2|, for example, the shank portion I5 will beinserted through an opening 22 provided by the panel 2| and the nut I8will then be threaded on shank portion I5 until it is brought to beartightly against the panel surface. This operation will draw ange I4 ofcasing II tightly against the opposite surface of the panel and theelectric switch A will then be securely mounted.

The generally cup-shaped insulating member l2 is disposed adjacent tothe free and open ei'd 23 of metallic casing I I. This member I2comprises a base 24, which removably fits into the open end 23 of casingI I, and an annular wall 25. Studs 26 passing through the wall of casingII and threaded into base 24 of member I2 serve to connect the twomembers together. The second generally cup-shaped member I3 whichcompletes the housing I0 serves, as shown in the drawings, as a cappingor closing member for the housing I0 and comprises a base 21, and anannular wall 23. The annular walls of the two insulating members I2 andI3 are, when in assembled relationship, oppositely directed, and aredisposed with their outer ends contiguous. In this position the twoinsulating members I2 and I3 define, between them, a substantiallyenclosed contact chamber 3l. The insulating members I2 and I3 aremaintained in assembly by studs 32, each of which carries a pair of nuts33 and 34 with nut 33 retaining the stud in position. The studs 32further serve both as terminals and to hold contact members, as will behereinafter further described; and the nuts 34 act to connect electricalconductors to the studs 32.

Contained within casing II is an energizing coil or solenoid 35, one endof which is fitted upon a magnetic cylindrical boss 36 and bears upon anannular nange 31 provided on the boss 36.

Flange 3l rests against the exterior wall of base 24 of insulatingmember I2. A magnetic washer 38` is located at the opposite end of coil35. A ring member 4I and a washer 42 disposed between washer 38 and headI'I of boss I6 maintain the coil 35 in proper location within casing II.Appropriate terminal studs, not shown, are provided on the insulatingmember I2 to which the conducting member. the leg'46 carries a contactface 52 which serves 'as a stationary contact. ings, two sets 53 and 54of stationary contacts 52 circuit wires for effecting energization ofthe coil 36 may be attached.

A magnetic plunger corev or armature 43 having a bore extendinglongitudinally therethrough is disposed within the coil 35 and isreciprocally movable therein upon energization and de-energization ofthe coil 35.

A plurality of generally L-shaped conducting members 45 is provided onthe insulating members I2 and I3. Each of the conducting members 45comprises a leg 46 which extends inwardly through an opening in the wallof the insulating member to lie within the contact chamber 3|, and a leg41 which is carried in a recess 48 formed in the exterior of theinsulating members. Each of the conducting members 45 is held inposition within its recess by a stud 5I threaded through exterior leg 41and into the wall of the insulating member. The stud 5I further servesas a terminal screw for securing a conductor to The interior end of Asshown in the draware provided. It is understood, of course, that -asmany sets of contacts could be provided as there are circuits which aredesired to be controlled by switch A.

Connected to each of the two mounting studs 32 is a contact plate 55which extends into contact chamber 3| and carries a Contact face 56 atits interior end.

To bridge the stationary contact sets 53 and 54 and the spacedstationary contacts 56 provided by the Contact plates 55 for making andbreaking the circuits therethrough, there are provided movable contactmembers 51 and 58, with movable contact member 51 being operative-between contact sets 53 and 54 for alternate bridging thereof and withcontact member 58 being adapted to bridge contacts 56.

Extending the length of switch housing I8 and 'passing' through alignedopenings in base 21 of insulating member of contact block I3, base 24 Qof contact block I2, boss 36, armature 43, washers 38 and 42 and boss|6, is an elongate, cylindrical, actuating rod 6I which has one endadapted to project beyond the panel 2| to which the switch A is mountedand the opposite end protruding beyond the base 21 of insulating memberI3. The actuating rod 6I at the end adjacent boss I6 is provided with aseries of progressively larger cylindrical portions 62, 63 and 64. En-

-larged portion. 64 is exteriorly threaded, and

`14` with one end resting on a seat provided by an annular ledge orportion in bore 68 and the other end biased against aninsulating washer15 associated with contact 1I yieldably urges contact 1I into engagementwith a lamp contact 16 provided on the base of incandescent lamp 66.Lamp 66 is grounded through theengagement of actuating rod 6I with bossI6 mounted in panel 2| to complete an electrical circuit.

-A chamber 11 is formed in boss I6 within which is disposed a pair ofwashers 18 and 19 with a compression spring 8| disposed therebetween.Washer 18 rests against an annular shoulder provided by enlarged rodportion 63 whereby the bias of spring 8| is exerted to urge actuatingrod 6I to the right, as viewed in the drawings, to return it to neutralposition whenever the rod should be moved inwardly. A spacer ring 82mounted on rod 6I is disposed between an annular shoulder provided byenlarged rod portion 62 and the end surface of armature 43 so thatmovement of the actuating rod 6| into the switch housing will effectlongitudinal movement of armature 43. Spacer ring 82 also engages washer19 whereby with movement of the actuating rod 6| outwardly and away fromthe housing the ring 82 will move washer 19 to compress spring 8| sothat with release of knob 61 spring 8| expands to return the actuatingrod 6I to its neu tral position indicated by the full linerepresentation of Figure l.

Provided on actuating rod 6| adjacent the interior end of armature 43are an insulating washer 83 and an insulating spacer sleeve 84. Alsosupported by actuating rod 6| is a pair of contact mounting insulationsleeves 85 and 86 with insulating sleeve 85 slidably carrying movablecontact 58 and insulating sleeve 86 fxedly supporting movable contact51. A compression spring 81 disposed upon sleeve 65 engages and biasesmovable contact 58 against an out-turned flange 88 on sleeve 85. The endof adjacent sleeve 86 provides a seat for the opposite end of spring 81.A nut 9| threaded on the end of actuating rod 6| cooperates with asleeve 89 to maintain the contact supporting sleeves 85 and 86 on therod.

In the neutral position of the electric switch, as shown in Figure l,movable contact 58 engages the spaced stationary contacts 56 and movablecontact 51 normally lies disposed substantially midway between thestationary contact sets l53 and 54 and will engage one or the other setsdependent upon the direction in which actuating rod 6| is moved.v

A preferred use of electric switch A is as a feathering switch in anairplane to control a propeller thereof, as is fully explained in myco-pending application, Serial No. '178,933, filed October 9, 1947. Asdescribed in this copending application multi-engine aircraft embodymeans which operate to feather a propeller to reduce the drag induced bya wind-milling propeller when the engine with which the propeller isassociated fails. It is very necessary that a windmilling propeller befeathered to relieve the load placed on the remaining engine or engines,Engine failure is particularly dangerous when an aircraft is taking oifbecause it is then thatthe maintenance of the full power output iscritical, and on occurrence of'such an engine failure a pilot must actquickly so that the non-functioning propeller will be feathered beforethe drag effect takes place. Under such circumstances it has happpenedthat pilots have not correctly ascertained the non-functioning engineand have pushed the feathering button associated with the wrong enginewith resultant accidents.

Frequently, the pilot may push the correct feathering button but theelapsed time between the actual failure of the engine and thediscernment of that failure is so great as to render the .the featheringof the propellerineffective since the drag of the wind-milling propellerhas already placed the aircraft in a dangerous situation. The electricswitch A is adapted for use in the system of the aforementionedco-pending application which provides that the loss of engine power willbe immediately detected and such loss will be signaled to the pilot andthe wind-milling propeller associated with the inoperative engine willbe automatically feathered before the propeller drag aifects theoperation of the aircraft. The use of electric switch A, by reason ofthe lamp 6B, will prevent the pilot feathering a propeller associatedwith a properly functioning engine and immediately acquaints him withthe fact that the engine serviced by that particular switch has failed.

The actuating rod 6| is adapted to be moved inwardly into switch housingil both automatically, on energization of coil 35, or manually byapplying pressure to the knob 6?. This inward movement will carrymovable contact 51 into engagement with stationary contact set 53 whichin the system of the aforementioned copending application controls themeans for effecting the feathering of a propeller. Thus by virtue of thepresent electric switch the feathering can be done both automaticallyand voluntarily for the solenoid coil is automatically energized by aswitch which operates on engine failure. Engagement of stationarycontact set 53 by movable contact 51 is adapted also to control thecircuit, not shown, which provides power to the lamp 66 in the knob Elto provide a visual indication that a feathering operation is occurring.After the feathering operation has cccurred the coil 35 is (ie-energizedand spring 8i, compressed by the inward movement of actuating rod 6I,will expand and move the acuuating rod 6l in the reverse direction toreturn it to its neutral position and to disengage the movable contact51 from stationary contact set 53.

The stationary contact set 54 is adapted to be engaged by movablecontact 51 at such time as the actuating rod 6| is manually pulledoutwardly from its housing. Contact set 54 as described in theco-pending application, controls the operation of unfeathering thepropeller. After the propeller is unieathered the pilot releases theknob 61 and the actuating rod Sl will move toward the housing i l to itsneutral position under the bias of springs 8l and 87 compressed by thisoutward movement of rod 6 l.

The stationary contacts 56 are provided in the system proposed by theco-pending application to control the operation of a second featheringelectric switch and to prevent the latters functioning if electricswitch A itself occupies feathering position by breaking an electricalcircuit thereto.

It is of course understood that the use described for the present switchis merely illustrative as this switch is adapted to be operative tocontrol any variety of devices wherein it is required that bothautomatic and manual control be had and where it is desired that onoperation of the switch a visual indication be provided to denote thatfact.

While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have beenspecifically disclosed, it is understood that the invention is notlimited thereto as many variations will be readily apparent to thoseskilled in the art and the invention is to be given its broadestpossible interpretation within the terms of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an electric switch, an elongate member, movable contact meanssupported by said elongate member, a plurality of stationary contactmeans, said elongate member being positioned for longitudinal movementmanually in opposite directions from a normal position, movement of saidelongate member in either direction from its normal position effectingengagement between said movable contact means and certain of saidstationary contact means, an energizing coil, a magnetic core disposedtherein, means operatively connecting said elongate member to saidmagnetic core for automatic movement thereby in one direction from itsnormal position to a switch operating position upon energization of saidenergizing coil, resilient means operative on said elongate member andexerting its bias to resist manual and automatic movement thereof andadapted to return said elongate member to its normal position both aftera manual operation and on deenergization of said coil, and a lampcarried by said elongate member, in circuit with certain of saidstationary Contact means, and adapted to light both upon automaticmovement of said elongate member in one direction to a switch operatingposition and upon manual movement of said elongate member in this sameone direction.

2. In an electric switch, an elongate member, movable contact meanssupported by said elongate member, a plurality of stationary contactmeans, said elongate member being supported for longitudinal movementmanually in opposite directions from a normal position, movement of saidelongate member in either direction from its normal position effectingcooperation between said movable contact means and stationary contactmeans, an energizing coil having a passage extending therethrough, amagnetic core slidably tted within said coil and itself having a borethrough which said elongate member passes to extend beyond each end ofthe core, means operatively connecting said elongate member to saidmagnetic core for automatic movement thereby in one direction from itsnormal position to a switch operating position upon energization of saidenergizing coil, resilient means operative on said elongate member andexerting its olas to resist manual and automatic movement thereof andadapted to return said elongate member to its normal position both aftera manual operation and on deenergization of said coil, and a lampcarried by said elongate member, in circuit with certain of saidstationary contact means, and adapted to light both upon manual andautomatic movement of said elongate member in one direction to a switchoperating position, said lamp and said movable contact means beingcarried by said elongate member at opposite sides of said core.

3. In an electric switch, an elongate member, movable contact meanssupported by said elongate member, a plurality of stationary contactmeans, said elongate member being supported for longitudinal movementmanually in opposite directions from a normal position, movement of saidelongate member in either direction from its normal position eiectingcooperation between said movable contact means and stationary contactmeans, an energizing coil having a passage extending therethrough, amagnetic core slidably disposed within said passage and having a borethrough which said elongate member ex! tends, means operativelyconnecting said elongate member to said magnetic core for automaticmovement thereby in one direction from its normal position to a switchoperating position upon energization of said venergizing coil, resilientmeans operative on said elongate member and exerting its bias to resistthe automatic movement thereof and to resist manual movement in the samedirection as the automatic movement, and adapted to return said elongatemember to its normal position both after a manual operation and ondeen-ergization of said coil, a second resilient means for resistingmanual movement of said elong-ate member in the other direction andadapted to return said elongate member to its normal position, and alamp carried by said elongate member, in circuit With certain of saidstationary contact means, and adapted to light both upon automaticmovement and upon manlual movement of said elongate member in the samedirection to a switch operating position.

4. In an -electric switch, an elongate member, movable contact meanssupported by said elongate member, a plurality of stationary Contactmeans, said elongate member being supported for longitudinal movementmanually in opposite directions from a normal position, movement of saidelongate member in either direction from its normal position effectingcooperation between said movable contact means and stationary contactmeans, an energizing coil having a passage extending therethrough, amagnetic core slidably disposed Within said passage, said magnetic corehaving a bore through which said elongate member passes to extend toeach side of the core, means operatively connecting said elongate memberto said magnetic core for automatic movement thereby in one directionfrom its normal position to a switch operating position uponenergization of said energizing coil, resilient means operative on saidelongate member and exerting its bias to resist automatic movementthereof in said one direction and resist manual movement in the samedirection and adapted to return said elongate member to its normalposition both after a manual operation and on deenergization of saidcoil, a second resilient means for resisting manual movement of saidelongate member in the other direction and adapted to return saidelongate member to its normal position, a lamp carried by said elongatemember, in circuit with certain of said stationary contact means, andadapted to light both upon manual and automatic movement of saidelongate member in said one direction to a switch operating position,said movable contact means and said lamp being carried by said elongatemember at opposite sides of said core, and a translucent housing meansprovided on said elongate member for containing said lamp, the housingmeans adapted to be grasped to effect the manual actuation of saidelongate memberin opposite directions from its normal position.

5. In an electric switch, a housing' comprising a cylindrical casing, aninsulating structure secured to said casing at one end thereof andhavlng a contact chamber, an elongate member, contact means sup-portedby said elongate member for movement within said Contact chamber, aplurality of stationary Contact means mounted on said insulatingstructure and Within said contact chamber, means for positioning saidelongate member for longitudinal movement marl-g ually in oppositedirections from a normal position, movement of said elongate member ineither direction from its normal position Aeffecting cooperation betweensaid movable contact means and stationary contact means, an energizingcoil having a passage extending therethrough, a magnetic core slidablydisposed within said passage and itself having a bore, said elongatemember adapted to pass through said lbore in said core to extend beyondeach end thereof, with a portion extending into said contact chamber tosupport said movable contact, means operatively connecting said elongatemember to said magnetic core for automatic movement thereby in onedirection from its normal position to a switch operating position uponenergization of said energizing coil, resilient means operative on saidelongate member and exerting its bias to `resist automatic movementthereof in said one direction and resist manual movement in the samedirection and adapted to return said elongate member to its normalposition both after a manual operation and on deenergization of saidcoil, a second resilient means for resistingmanual movement of saidelongate member in the other direction and adapted to return saidelongate member to its normal position, a lamp carried by said elongatemember, in circuit with certain of said stationary contact means, andadapted to light both upon manual and automatic movement of saidelongate member in said one direction to a switch operating position,said lamp being carried by the elongate member exteriorly of the housingand on the side of the core opposite that at which the movable contactis carried, said elongate member having a recess in its end within whichsaid lamp is positioned and a longitudinally extending bore running fromsaid recess the length of the elongate member, an electrical conduitdisposed in said longitudinally extending bore and electrically conectedto said lamp, and a translucent housing provided on said elongate memberWithin which said lamp extends, said housing adapted to be grasped toeffect manual actuation of said elongate member in both directions fromits normal position.

LAWRENCE J. BORDELON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the i-lle ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,438,727 Schwagermann Dec. 12,1922 1,700,890 I-Iodgkins et al. Feb. 5, 1929 1,839,629 Williams Jan. 5,1932 2,069,382 Morton et al. Feb. 2, 1937 2,234,954 Bergman Mar. 1'8,1941 2,304,608 Smythe Dec. 8, 1942 2,335,283 Johnson Nov. 30, 19432,373,587 Martin-Hurst Apr. l0, 1945v 2,423,387 Johnson July 1, 19472,430,189 Schellman Nov. 4, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date677,960 France Mar. 17, 1930

